Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant named ‘ISLAND MAGIC’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘ISLAND MAGIC’, characterized by a large multicolored flower with a red center, radiating out to shades of orange-red with a yellow halo around the edges. ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ is a free flowering plant with an upright, compact habit, and glossy, dark green foliage.

Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘ISLAND MAGIC’.

Varietal denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘ISLAND MAGIC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘ISLAND MAGIC’.

The genus Hibiscus comprises about 250 species of herbs, shrubs andtrees in warm temperate and tropical regions; with leaves usuallysimple, mostly palmately veined, lobed or parted; flowers are mostlysolitary in the leaf axils but sometimes in racemes, corymbs orpanicles. Hibiscus is included in the family Malvaceae, which comprisesabout 95 genera of herbs, shrubs and trees originating in tropical andtemperate regions. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a glabrate shrub, seldomover 8 feet tall in cultivation, but treelike to 15 feet or more intropical regions. Leaves grow to 6-inches in length, and are ovate,usually serrate, mostly glossy green. Flowers are solitary in upper leafaxils.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Webster, Tex. The objective of the program was to createnew Hibiscus selections with improved bloom quality, color andfloriferousness. A further objective was to produce plants that can becommercially produced on their own root systems, with improved planthabit, with regard to vigor and postproduction longevity.

The new variety was discovered in a controlled breeding program ofHibiscus rosa-sinensis and differs from its parents and other knowncultivars of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis by the following characteristics incombination:

-   -   1. Upright, compact symmetrical plant habit that is suitable for        container production;    -   2. Healthy dark green foliage;    -   3. Vigorous growth habit;    -   4. Large ruffled multicolored flower with a red center,        radiating to shades of orange-red with a yellow halo around the        edges; and    -   5. Free flowering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,nutrition and water status without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘ISLAND MAGIC’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, compact symmetrical plant habit that is suitable for        container production.    -   2. Healthy dark green foliage.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Large ruffled multicolored flower with a red center,        radiating to shades of orange-red with a yellow halo around the        edges.    -   5. Free flowering.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by stem cuttings, performed inWebster, Tex. and Houston, Tex., have confirmed that the distinctivecharacteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted tosucceeding generations, and the new variety reproduces true to type.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS AND OTHER CULTIVARS

‘ISLAND MAGIC’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘HeartbreakHotel’ (not patented) by its flower color and size. The flower color of‘Heartbreak Hotel’ is mahogany red with yellow spots, and the size ofthe flower is often 2 to 5 cm smaller in diameter than that of ‘ISLANDMAGIC’. ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ is distinguished from its male parent ‘JasonBlue’ (not patented) in the flower color, ‘Jason Blue’ having anorange-yellow flower with a silvery blue eye.

The closest commercial cultivar to ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ known to the Inventoris ‘Orange Magic’ (not patented). However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Webster, Tex., plants of ‘ISLAND MAGIC’ differ from plantsof ‘Orange Magic’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new hibiscus are larger than flowers of the        cultivar ‘Orange Magic’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus are easier to clone via rooting        than plants of the cultivar ‘Orange Magic’; and    -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus are more floriferous than are        plants of the cultivar ‘Orange Magic’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying illustrations show a specimen of the new cultivar in aphotographic illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible tomake in an illustration of this character. Color values in theillustrations may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describes the actualcolors of the new Hibiscus.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘ISLANDMAGIC’;

FIG. 2 illustrates the scale of a typical flower of ‘ISLAND MAGIC’;

FIG. 3 illustrates the typical young to mature foliage of ‘ISLANDMAGIC’; the abaxial and adaxial surfaces are shown at each stage; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a dissected flower of ‘ISLAND MAGIC’, including shapeand size of petals and characteristics of the reproductive structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘ISLAND MAGIC’ has not been observed under all possible environmental,cultural and light conditions. The following observations anddescriptions are of plants grown in Fulshear, Tex., in April 2005, underpolypropylene shadecloth providing a 30 percent light reduction, andunder conditions which closely approximate commercial production. Plantsdescribed were approximately one year old.

In this description, color references are to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart (4th Edition) and terminology used in the colordescriptions herein refers to plate numbers in this color chart.Phenotypic expression may vary with light intensity, cultural andenvironmental conditions.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘ISLAND MAGIC’.        -   Parentage.—Female or Seed Parent: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis            ‘Heartbreak Hotel’. Male or Pollen Parent: Hibiscus            rosa-sinensis ‘Jason Blue’.        -   Propagation.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate rooting.—Approximately 14 to 21 days at            21-24° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—Approximately 42 to 56 days at 21-24°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine to medium; fibrous; freely branching.-   Plant:    -   -   Size.—Height: Approximately 45-50 cm in a #2 pot (from soil            level to top of flowers). Diameter/Spread: Approximately            40-45 cm in a #2 pot.        -   Form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen shrub; mostly            upright and somewhat spreading.        -   Branching.—Freely branching, about 4 to 8 lateral branches            develop after pinching. Lateral Branches: Approximately 20            cm long and 3 mm in diameter. Color: Young — 138B. Mature —            grey brown 199C. Internode Length: Approximately 3 cm.-   Leaf:    -   -   Shape.—Cordate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate.        -   Leaf size.—Approximately 9 cm long and 8.5 cm wide.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single, symmetrical.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Aspect.—Undulate.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, shiny.        -   Coloration.—Young Foliage Upper side: Near Green Group 137A.            Under side: Near Green Group 137C. Mature Foliage Upper            side: Near Green Group 139A. Under side: Near Green Group            N138B.        -   Petioles.—Size: Approximately 3 cm in length; approximately            3 mm in diameter. Coloration: Near Green Group 137B.            Texture: Smooth.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Bloom period.—Typically year-round under subtropical and            tropical conditions.        -   Flower arrangement.—Arranged singly at terminal leaf axils;            free flowering with 3 to 4 flower buds and/or open flowers            per terminal apex; flowers face upright and slightly            outward.        -   Flower appearance.—Ruffled and multicolored with a dark red            center, radiating to orange-red, ending with a yellow edge;            flowers are open for about two days before closing; flowers            persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—Approximately 16 cm.        -   Flower depth.—When placed on a horizontal plane, the flower            extends 6 cm above the surface, with the ruffled petals            extending 1.5-2.0 cm above the plane.        -   Buds (just prior to showing color).—Rate of Opening:            Approximately 1 or 2 days, depending on temperature. Shape:            Elliptic. Length: Approximately 3 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1 cm. Color: Near Green Group 137C.        -   Fragrance.—None noted.        -   Petals.—Number/Arrangement: Corolla consists of 5            overlapping petals. Shape: Spatulate with rounded apex.            Size: Approximately 9 cm long and 9 cm wide. Margin: Entire,            but wavy. Texture: Smooth. Base Descriptor: Oblique. Color            Upper Surface: The eye or center is near Red Group 46A,            transitioning outward to near Red Group between 42A and 42C;            the outer edge is near Yellow Group 12B. Lower Surface:            Majority of the lower surface is near Yellow Group 11C, with            near Red Group 48C at the base of the petal.        -   Sepals.—Number/Arrangement: 5 sepals fused into a            star-shaped calyx. Shape: Linear with acuminate apices.            Margin: Entire. Color: Near Green Group 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: Approximately 4 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2 mm. Angle: Upright to about 45 degrees.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Color: Near Green Group 138B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamens: Numerous; approximately 50. Stamen            Length: Approximately 5 mm. Filament Color: Near White Group            155B. Anther Size: Approximately 1 mm long×1 mm wide. Pollen            Amount: Abundant. Pollen Color: Near Yellow Group 6A.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil Length: Approximately 8 cm. Stigma            Appearance: Five, rounded. Stigma Diameter: Approximately            2 mm. Stigma Color: Near Orange Group N25A. Style Color:            Lower two-thirds near Red Group 46A; upper one-third near            White Group 155B. Seed Production: Has not been observed.-   Pests/diseases: Resistance to known Hibiscus diseases had not been    observed on plants grown under conditions approximating commercial    practices.

1. A new Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant named ‘ISLAND MAGIC’,substantially as shown and described.